Yes altimeters are all the rage now-a-days, but last I heard, you had to punch a hole in the side of your rocket to use them. How much altitude do you lose from the drag on that hole. Of course GPS units can be sent aloft, but if you had to deal with all the inaccuracies in dealing with GPS units like I have (and I'm talking high end land surveying units, not like the ones in your car) you might question some results also.

On top of that, there is the additional height killing weight both of these high tech solutions add to the rocket.

Of course the old tracking transits used by clubs were just too much of a hassle to use. I could give a lecture on the possible errors and mistakes possible with them, plus they were often inaccurate themselves.

So my solution?

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P6250012.JPG (139.26 KiB) Viewed 6144 times

The pictures are of just a quick throw together of the idea with some of the components that just came Sunday. I am still waiting on some parts for the horizontal dial which will be the standard protractor. I did think about a digital compass, but couldn't find one with the precision I wanted. Plus the inclinometer pictured may be able to also do that function, but I have to investigate some more.

Anyways, the mock up shows the hologram site on a picatinny rail that is attached (right now) to a camera tripod. The inclinometer will be attached later on by a better method than the zip tie. It has a magnetic side, so one solution would be to use a strip of metal in place of the wood and attach it using the magnets. This has its benefits and possible problems. The benefit is ease of removal for other uses (measuring rod angles, for one), but I worry about the unit falling off or even being knocked off.

In conclusion, the new tracking gun will be much easier for even youngsters to use with much less chance of error.